A new geopolitical reality: how Péter Magyar will change Hungary’s stance on Ukraine
Journalists from the FREEDOM TV channel report on the prospects for a new phase of cooperation.
Initial contacts and readiness for a meeting
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga has already established contact with Anita Orbán, who is set to head the Hungarian Foreign Ministry. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also confirmed his readiness for a face-to-face meeting with Péter Magyar, emphasising the potential for building constructive relations.
Ukraine’s main expectations from the change of government in Hungary:
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Acceleration of European integration: opening of six clusters of negotiations on EU accession;
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Financial support: the release of the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine;
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Pressure on the aggressor: strengthening the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.
Challenges for Hungary’s new government
Péter Magyar will have to not only establish ties with Kyiv, but also rescue Hungary’s economy by thawing relations with Brussels. Currently, the EU is withholding €35 billion from Budapest due to breaches of the rule of law and corruption.
Brussels will view Hungary’s lifting of its veto on aid to Ukraine and its support for sanctions as the key indicator of Budapest’s readiness to return to the European family. According to Andriy Sybiga, the failure of Orbán’s anti-Ukrainian rhetoric has sent an important signal to the whole of Europe.
As previously reported by ThePublic, the victory of the Tisa party paves the way for the release of a critically important EU loan for Ukraine. At the same time, we noted that the issue of energy security, in particular the stable supply of oil, remains a matter of principle for the new Hungarian government, which will require further expert negotiations between the countries.
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